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OF 

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OF  CALIFORNIA 

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Looking  wistfully  up  at  the  gray  winter  skies 


A     CHRISTMAS 
SNOWFLAKE::: 

A     Rhme    for    Children 


BY 

Anna  J.  Granniss 


ILLUSTRATED 

WITH      LIFE      PICTURES 


HARTFORD 

C.    M.    GAINES,      66  STATE  ST. 
1903 


COPYRIGHT  1903 
BY  ANNA  J.  GRANNI 


All  rights  reserved 


TZ8.3 


To  the   memory 

of 

Mary  and  Willie 

The  baby  sister 

And  the  little  brother 

Who  went  away  one 

Christmas 
Many  years  ago 


ILLUSTRATIONS 

FRONTISPIECE       ........  PAGE 

ONE  LITTLE  FELLOW  CRYING  OUTRIGHT           ...  1 

THE  STAR  AND  THE  ANGELS               .....  3 

"I'M  so  GLAD!"             ........  5 

THE  SNOWFLAKES  COMING  DOWN                     .               .               .               .  8-9 

GOING  TO  FIND  SANTA              ......  11 

MOTHER  SNOWBANK     .......  1* 

SANTA  CLAUS  SCANNING  THE  SKIES           ....  15 

THE  REINDEER  AT  HOME         ......  18 

CHRISTMAS  BELLS           .......  20 

A  DEAR  LITTLE  OMB          .......  21 

THE  WORLD  ASLEEP  22 


A     CHRISTMAS 

SNOWFLAKE 


A  CHRISTMAS 
SNOWFLAKE 

A  little  white  snowflake  that  lived  in  the  sky, 
Kept  looking  down  here  with  a  tear  in  its  eye; 
And  wherever  it  looked,  alas,  it  could  see 
The  ground  was  as  bare,  and  as  brown,  as  could 

be; 
And  out  of   the  windows,  the   childrens'   bright 

eyes 

Looked  wistfully  up,  at  the  gray  winter  skies, 
While  one  little  fellow  was  crying  outright, 
Because    the  white  snowflakes   were  nowhere  in 

sight, 

And  how  could  Santa    come 
In   his  reindeer  sleigh, 
And  Christmas   now  only 
Just  two  days  away? 


2 

It  happened  just  then,  that  there  came  dancing  by, 
Two  lovely  large  flakes  from  somewhere  in  the  sky, 
And  the  little  flake  cried,  "Oh,  beautiful  flakes, 
I've  been  here  looking  down,  till  my  very  heart  aches; 
See  how  dismal  it  looks,  down  there  on  the  earth. 
Instead  of  gay  laughter,  and  shouting,  and  mirth, 
The  children  are  crying,  their  bright  eyes  are  wet, 
For  thinking  the  snowflakes  are  going  to  forget. 
Will  you  go  down  with  me  sometime  before  night  ? 
The  children  would  see  us,  and  laugh  with  delight. 
"Why  you  dear  little  flake 

Now  just  dry  your  eye," 

Said  the  lovely  white  flakes, 
"  We'll  go  down  by  and  by. 

Just  now,  we  would  rather 

Whirl  'round  in  the  air, 

Than  to  settle  ourselves 

Away  off  down  there!" 
"And  just  think,"  said  one,  "of  my  pretty  new 

gown, 
Being  stepped  on,  and  spoiled,  and  all  trodden 

down!" 

Then  gaily  enough  they  were  dancing  away, 
When  the  brave  little  flake  found  courage    to  say, 


There's    a 

beautiful 
Story,  so   I've  been 

told, 
Very  sweet,  and  tender, 

And    true,    and    old, 

About    a    star, 
And    the    wonderful    birth, 

Long  ago,  of  a  Christ-Child 
On    the    earth; 

And  now,  every  year 

At    a    certain    time 
The  bells  everywhere 

Ring  out  their  chime, 
And   children  gather 

From  near  and  from  far, 

To  sing  of  that  wonderful 
Child,  and  the  Star. 


"  And  oh,  beautiful   flakes, 

The  time   now  draws   near; 
But  alas,  see  the  earth, 

How  dark  and  how  drear! 
And  on   Christmas    morning, 
Why,  do  you   not  know, 
The  earth  must  be  covered 

All  over  with   snow? 
Then  the  little  flake  said, 

With  a    brave  bright  air, 
"I'm 

going 
to 
get 

ready 

and 

g° 
down 

there!' 


"I'm  so  glad  !  " 


And  then  looking  down 

On  the  dark  dreary  space, 
The  lovely  flakes  said, 

"  But  in  such  a  big  place, 
Why,  whatever  could  one 

Tiny  snowflake  do? 
Such    a    wee    little 

Delicate    bit    like    you, 
You  just  wait  half  a  minute 

And  we'll  go  to !" 

So  they  hurried,    and  skurried, 

And    flew    around, 
And  told  every  snowflake 

That  could  be  found; 
They  waltzed  'round  in  circles, 

They    danced    on    tip    toe, 
They    could    not    hold    still 

Getting  ready  to  go. 


And  at  last  they  came    .•• 
'    Flying,  fluttering  down, '  • 
All  white  in  the  city,*  -  .*  \  ' 
'  ;  All  white  iVthe  town.  .*• . 

They  draped  every  steeple      « 
•      •     *».      *      *•.** 

*  And  tower  in  sight,-*   . ; 

•  ,••'•.••     •,.,"       * 

They 'dressed "all  the  trees/* 
i  .••«;-%-.       •        •  -  -     v    •    .      . 

*     *  #*..*' 

^    Against ^Chrisfmas'night,  • 


'  .  They  hung  to  the  shutters, .  ^ 

;'    •-  *  The/  clung,  to  the7  doors,'  * 
\  *«4     *.   '  '/  '  ..i /-.i_:r»  >  ;_•  -*'i*. 


1    '    *  Into' the  stores.',' »  *  •*  V  ! 

*  -  *  •  i    '    t  »  •   •»«   •    •*  * «    i    -*» 

.^  *  They  tapped- on  the  windows 

•  *   '  ;' And*  peeped  thro'  the  pane, 
**•*     ••*••.  ••     .    *. 

.  f    Then^in  a  twinkling  ^   *  •  *  . 

"^    -9  They  vanished  again.  •* ,    ^  • 

*  »•          v     *          ^»»_*»****        *       * 

*/  And  they  found  everywhere,' ' 

*  «  -     ***     *«*•    *   *-*"    *  *  •    '- 

•  .    ."With  merry, delight,  *   »-iv 

;.•;-»*,--'  4*i  -  -•/<  v?i**--!i  ; . 

(*  t  The  world^  getting' rdady  .    « 
"  -V  -".  To  "keep*  CKristmas  night.  '• 


good  Mother  Snowbank 
Up  there  in  the  sky, 
Had  dropped  into  a  doze 
As    the    hours    slipped    by; 

She    awoke    with    a    start, 

And    looking    around, 
Not    one    of  her    snowflakes 

Was    anywhere    found. 

She    tip    toed 
In    here, 

And    she    tip    toed 

Out    there, 

She  turned  the  clouds  over 
With  greatest  of  care, 

Not  a  sign  of  a  snowflake 
Was  seen  anywhere. 


Going  to  find  Santa 


Then    she    puffed    out    her   cheeks 

And    began   to    blow; 
She    whistled    up    high, 

And  she    whistled    down    low; 
And    she    blew,   till    the   tree    tops 

Went    to    and    fro. 

She    whistled    and    blew 
Till    the    air    was    clear, 

But    the    snowflakes    pretended 
They    did    not    hear, 

And    each    nestled    down 

In    its    chosen    retreat, 
To    wait    for    the    click 

Of   the    reindeer's    feet. 


So    good    Mother    Snowbank 
Up    there    in    the    sky, 

Just    drew    in    her    breath 
With    a    long    drawn    sigh- 


Then,  she  suddenly   tore 
A  small  cloud  in  two, 

And  in  the  queer  fashion 
That  some  people  do, 


She  made  her  a  night  cap 
To  put  on  her  head, 

Then  shook  up  her  pillows 
And  went  off  to  bed. 


Y  off  up  in  Northland> 

His   hand  to   his  eyes, 
In   his  door  stood  Santa  Claus 
Scanning  the  skies; 


He  saw  Mother  Snowbank 

Go  off  in  a  huff, 
And  he  knew  where  the  snowflakes 

Were  well  enough; 


For  he  shook  his  head, 

And    he   laughed  "Ho,  ho,  ho! 
Tell    me    of  a    Christmas 

Without    any    snow, 
It's    time    I    was    getting 

Things    ready    to    go!" 


1— fE    harnessed    his    reindeer 

So    nimble    and    fleet, 
The    snow    would  not  feel 

The  light  touch  of  their  feet; 
He    loaded    his    sleigh 

Full    of  everything    nice, 
Then  jumped    in  himself, 

And  was    off  in    a    trice — 

When   the    reindeer    snorted, 

And  stamped  their  small  hoofs, 
People    thought    'twas    the    wind, 

And    the    snow    on    the    roofs; 
So    all    unmolested 

He    worked    with    his    might, 
And    was    ready    for    home 

Long    before    daylight. 


The  reindeer  at  home 


By  permission  of  the  Berlin  Photographic  Co. 


Then    fainter, 

and    fainter, 

And    farther    away, 

Came    the 

Ting— a— ling— ling, 

From  the  vanishing  sleigh. 

Back,    over    the    snow 

It    flew    like    the    wind, 

And    never    once    stopping, 
Or  looking  behind, 

Old  Santa  rode  on, 

Till   he  reached 

His  own  door, 

Just    where 

He    had    loaded, 

A    short    time    before. 


Over    the  [mountains, 
And    over    the    dells, 

The    world 
Set    to    ringing, 

With    sweet 
Christmas    bells; 

And    gifts 

And    kind    wishes, 

Went     flying 

around, 
As  fast    as    the 

flakes 

When    they    fell 
To    the    ground. 


And    the    good    little    flake 

That    up    in    the    sky, 

Had    looked    on    the    earth 

With    a    tear    in    its    eye, 

At    sound    of  the    bells 

Fairly    shone    with    delight, 

For    Christmas    had    come, 

And  the  world  was  in  white, 

And    Santa    had    been 

At    the    dead    of   the    night, 

In    his    reindeer    sleigh, 

And  was  safe  out  of  sight. 


And    the    dear    little    ones 
Whose    eyes    were    so    wet, 
Knew  now,    the    snowflakes 
Did    not    forget; 
For    over    the    earth 
They  were  spread  far  and  wide, 
In    a    beautiful    robe 
For    the    glad    Christmas    tide — 
While    down    to    the    wondering 

World    from    above, 
Came    the  spirit    of   Peace, 

Of  Goodwill,    and    Love. 


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A  Christmas 
snowf lake  T 


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